I needed something to help my prayer life go to the next level. I had all sorts of plans and scenarios to make this happen, but God provided a better solution.

I’m teaching driving again.

Long time readers may remember that I taught driver’s ed at RVA in 1999, and that I got closer to Jesus that I ever thought I could. This time seems even MORE tailor-made for me.

Them: What should I do?
Me: To start with, don’t hit that bus.
Them: What bus?
Me: The bus parked right in front of us that you are moving rapidly towards.
Them: What should I do?
Me: Oh Jesus save me. *

* actual dialogue

It really works. I do not recommend this method of improving your prayer life, but it really really works.

Part of the reason I need to pray more is because of my marriage. After twenty years, we have hit an issue that we are struggling with. Nancy won the dance award from her high school, and so they have asked her to choreograph the musical.

Well, husbands should help their wives, right? So I have been offering her LOTS of great dance moves, and her response has been a consistent `Oh honey, that’s ok.’

It was finally time to confront her. It was OBVIOUS that the issue was JEALOUSY.

Me: Jealousy can KILL a marriage.
Her: I am therefore confident our marriage will live forever.

Denial is a horrible thing, isn’t it?

The food has been delivered to the schools. It never goes well. Something always happens, but that is part of what we signed up for. There is a famine in the northern part of Kenya that has driven food costs up, and we have had the usual issues trying to get everything coordinated, but the food is all delivered; hundreds of tons.

This work has never been about famine relief; its purpose was to provide proper nutrition to facilitate learning, and to be a tool to keep kids in school.

But it is getting perilously close to a famine situation in our area. Sometimes there are signs of how much your life has changed, but the biggest sign of that lately is that I was visiting a school and I asked how their gardens were doing.

The most chilling thing I’ve heard was: `The potato crop has failed.’

In the states, that would be financial hardship. Here it means that people who eat one meal a day will have less of a meal for that one meal. It has been so dry here, and so so much depends on rain coming for the next harvest.

One of the schools received a short shipment of maize due to an error and two board members came to visit with fear on their faces. When I assured them we would get them the reminder of the food, they both breathed huge sighs of relief.

It could get really bad here. Pray for rain. If it doesn’t start raining soon, it could get really bad.

Your pal

s

PS. Without getting into details, one of us has to have some medical tests done on Monday. Would you say a prayer for that also?

PPS Our friend Michael is scheduled to go to court on Feb. 1.  There are actually some encouraging signs for a change, but we still ask you to pray for his release on that day.  Thanks.